Automobile signal



Feb.. l1, W. A.- MOF-FAT y AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL Filed Dec. 26, 1954 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 11, 1936 AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL Walter A. Moffat, Meridian, Miss., as signor to Auto Headlight Signal` Company, Meridian, Miss., a corporation of Mississippi Application December 26, 1934, Serial No. 759,269

1 Claim.

This invention relates to headlight indicators for motor vehicles and has for the primary object the provision of means for clearly and unmistakably showing to approaching motorists and pedestrians which headlight of the motor vehicle is extinguished due to some defect, so that the approaching motorist or pedestrian can determine accurately the distance which must be allowed tov pass the moto-r vehicle with safety.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention,

reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation illustrating a motor vehicle with the headlights thereof equipped with indicators constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating one of the indicators.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the mounting of the indicator to the headlight.

Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the modied form of indicator.

Figure 5 is a. perspective View illustrating another modied form of my invention wherein the indicator forms an integral part of the lens of the headlight.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary front elevation illustrating another modified form of my invention applied to the headlights.

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view showing the form of indicator disclosed by Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a front elevation illustrating another modied form of my invention.

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the same.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral I indicates a fragmentary portion of the front end of a motor vehicle wherein the right and left headlights are indicated by the characters 2 and 3. At night time and when one of the headlights becomes extinguished due to some defect, it is very difcult for an approaching motorist or pedestrian to determine which headlight is extinguished and, therefore, cannot readily judge accurately the distance which must be allowed in order to pass the motor vehicle with safety. In order that the motorist or pedestrian approaching the vehicle may readily determine which headlight is extinguished, it is proposed to adapt to the headlights indicators 4, one which shows the word right and the other showing the word left Each indicator includes a rim 5 employed for securing the lens of the headlight to the body 'I 5 of said headlight and has formed integrallyv therewith and at the upper portion a plate 8 which overlies a portion of the lens and has stenciled therein or struck therefrom letters spelling either the word right or left so that 10 some of the rays of light of the headlight will pass through them rendering them readable a considerable distance from the motor vehicle. A portion of the plate 8 may be angularly disposed to form a visor 9. Any suitable fastening means 15 may be employed for securing the rim 5 to the body I of the headlight and it is preferable that the fastening means be of such a nature that it will only t the headlight which it is designed for so that the possibility of applying an indicator 2o to the wrong headlight will be obviated.

Referring to my modified form of invention, as shown in Figure 4, the indicator may be in the form of a plate I0 carrying a suitable clamp II to engage with an edge of the lens of a head- 25 light for supporting the plate thereto. The plate I0 has the characters or letters of a word stenoiled therein so that a portion of the light rays from the headlight may pass through the letters.

As shown in Figure 5, the indicator I2 may 30 form a part of the lens I3 by coating a portion of the latter with some suitable opaque material leaving the letters transparent.

Referring to the modified form of my invention, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the indicator 35 is in the form of a tube I4 suitably secured to the body of the headlight and extending into the latter and communicating with an opening I5 formed in the reflector I6 of the headlight so that some of the rays of light of the headlight may 40 enter the tube and be seen through a slot I1 formed in the tube. The headlights are shown in Figure 6 and equipped with the tubes I4 have said tubes inclining upwardly and towards each other and terminating adjacent the longitudinal 45 axis of the motor vehicle so that should one of the headlights become extinguished an approaching motorist or pedestrian may readily determine by the illuminated indicator which of the headlights is extinguished due to the direction in 5o` which the illuminated tube or indicator points.

Referring to my modified form of invention, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the body I8 of the headlight has formed therewith a hood I9 projecting upwardly from the body I8 rearwardly of the lens. 55

The hood I9 extendsinto the body of the headlight and the reector 20 thereof 'so that light rays may enter the hood. The front of the hood is in the form of a Window closed by an indicator plate 2| in which are stenciled the letters spelling right or leftf The rear Wall of the hood may have set therein a lens 2l through Which light rays may escape in a rearward direction with re' spect to the headlightso that the driverl of the motor vehicle may at all times see that the headlights are illuminated. l

Having described the invention, I claim:

An indicator for headlights comprising a plate to overlie a portion of a lens of a headlight and having stenciled letters spelling either the word left or right adapted to permit light rays of the headlight to pass therethrough to render said Words readable at night time, and means for se-V atV the edge ofV said plate below the letters to 1d form a Visor. l

WALTER A. MOFFAT. 

